U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry may be able to force Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, under threats and pressure, to sign a "framework agreement" with Israel. But as this week's rally of hatred in the Gaza St

U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry may be able to force Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, under threats and pressure, to sign a "framework agreement" with Israel. But as this week's rally of hatred in the Gaza Strip shows, even after the signing of a Palestinian-Israeli "peace" treaty, a large number of Palestinians will not abandon there dream of destroying Israel.

"Jihad in Palestine is not terrorism. Jihad in Palestine is a sacred duty." — Yusef Rizka, representative of Hamas

A mass rally held in the Gaza Strip on March 23 showed that Hamas continues to enjoy popular support among Palestinians. Tens of thousands of Palestinians took to the streets to attend the rally commemorating the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

Hamas officials claim that nearly one million Palestinians attended the rally in the center of Gaza City.

This means that Hamas, which seeks to destroy Israel, remains as strong as ever in the Gaza Strip, despite Egypt's undeclared war against the Palestinian Islamist movement.

The Egyptian war has indeed hurt Hamas, especially in wake of the destruction of hundreds of smuggling tunnels along the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. Hamas's popularity among Palestinians, however, as shown by the mass rally, evidently remains unaffected.

Addressing the crowd, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh admitted that the Egyptian war has harmed his movement. "Hamas is going through difficult times," he said. "We are also facing harsh challenges."

Haniyeh added that despite Egyptian security measures against his movement and the Gaza Strip, Hamas was not in a state of panic.

At the rally, defiant Hamas leaders repeated threats to pursue terror attacks against Israel. One Hamas official, Fathi Hammad, even expressed optimism that his movement and other Palestinian terror groups would be able to destroy the "Zionist entity in a few years."

Hamas seems to be hoping, however, that the rally will send a message not only to Israel, but also to the Palestinian Authority and Egypt. The message that Hamas is seeking to relay to Egypt is that, despite the ongoing Egyptian blockade of the Gaza Strip, the movement is not showing any sign of weakness.

As Hamas representative Yusef Rizka explained, "This is a message to those who are trying to undermine Hamas and damage its reputation. We do not meddle in the internal affairs of Arab countries."

Addressing the Egyptians, who have accused Hamas of involvement in terrorist attacks inside Egypt, Rizka said, "Jihad in Palestine is not terrorism. Jihad in Palestine is a scared duty."

Still, the strongest message coming out of the rally was directed toward the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinian Authority [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas has good reason to be worried in the aftermath of the latest show of force by Hamas. When tens of thousands of Palestinians take to the streets of the Gaza Strip to call for the destruction of Israel and an end to the peace talks between the PA and Israel, it is clear that a large segment of Palestinian society remains opposed to any compromise with Israel.

The pro-Hamas rally is also aimed at sending a message to the U.S. Administration that Mahmoud Abbas does not have a mandate to sign any document that declares an end to the conflict with Israel.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry may be able to force Abbas, under threats and pressure, to sign a "framework agreement" with Israel. But as this week's rally of hatred in the Gaza Strip shows, even after the signing of an Israeli-Palestinian "peace" treaty, a large number of Palestinians will not abandon their dream of destroying Israel .

Tuesday April 1, 2014, 2:54 pm
What percentage of Palestinians dream of destroying Israel? The ones who are educating their children in Israeli schools? The ones who saved their children from death? The ones who allowed them to earn a living, enough to afford housing? The ones whose children are best friends with Isreali children?

It shows the degree to which you have no objectivity, critical thinking skills, awareness of other articles being posted on Care2 far more objective and honest about Israel, instead of the anti-Semitic garbage you read.

Your analogy shows an ACUTE degree of ignorance, an outrageous degree of stupidity and unawareness.

Do we really need to list for you the difference -- even Israel at it's very worst -- to the policies of the Third Reich?

I think this is talking about the P.A. A majority of Israeli Arab Muslims wouldn't move to a Palestinian-controlled area if you paid them. In spite of public protests to keep face with fellow Arabs, even many of the people there in the PA, according to some sources are happier under Israelis than other Arab/Muslim governments. Abbas has publicly asked that companies in Israel outside of the PA should NOT be BDS'd

Tuesday April 1, 2014, 9:36 pm
Hatred ultimately destroys the conveyor. However is is a pity that the P.A choose to go backwards and not forwards. The Palestinian people could have a good peaceful life but for the policies of vain,angry men that divide them.

Tuesday April 1, 2014, 10:36 pm
DAVID F. YOU ARE SORELY MISTAKEN...READ MY FIRST POST. GOD WILL NEVER ALLOW ISRAEL TO COME TO DESTRUCTION. HE WILL CHASTISE HER BUT OUT OF LOVE AND THE PALESTINIANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BROOD OF BANDING GYPSY'S...THEY ENDED UP AT THE MERCY OF ISRAEL TAKING THEM IN WHEN NO OTHER ARAB COUNTRY WANTED A THING TO DO WITH THEM AND NEVER FORGET THAT ISRAEL BECAME IT'S OWN NATION IN 1948. THAT ENTIRE AREA BELONGS TO ISRAEL, NOT THE PALESTINIANS!

Wednesday April 2, 2014, 4:53 am
"U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry may be able to force Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, under threats and pressure, to sign a "framework agreement" with Israel. "

and when the replacement of abbas takes over he will say -- Agreements made by abbas are not binding on him
Pathological liars all

Wednesday April 2, 2014, 12:03 pm
It will not matter whether or not if there is an agreed upon treaty or not, eventually the Palestinians and other Arab nations will attack Israel.

However, by following the successful pattern of the new Israel, apparently the shared God of the Jews and Christians and Muslims truly favors Israel.

I am curious to see the end results after one or more Muslim nations attack Israel. For the last several decades, every time the Muslims attack Israel, the Israelis have been walking off with more land.

Wednesday April 2, 2014, 1:36 pm
That is the militant's ONLY goal. I hate to say it, but did they learn nothing in 1947, 1956, 1967, Munich, Entebbe......??? The Israelis are technological geniuses; perhaps they've invented a way to keep the sand out of THEIR eyes??

Wednesday April 2, 2014, 6:24 pm
‘When you speak calmly to a Muslim, he perceives you as being weak. The American saying “speak softly and carry a big stick,” is, unfortunately, of no use when dealing with Muslims. It would be more appropriate to say (until we can change this way of thinking), “speak forcefully and carry a big stick”; otherwise you will be the weaker party and the loser.’
—Wafa Sultan, author of A God Who Hates

“Americans do not have enough experience of highway robbers [the raiding Muslim mindset] and so they allow any passing wayfarer to violate the sanctity of their horses [their culture and society]! They are not expert at either debate or trickery. They say what they mean and they mean what they say, and have no idea that they are dealing with people skilled in saying what they don’t mean and meaning what they have never said.” —Wafa Sultan, author of A God Who Hates

Please keep in mind that Obama is a Muslim, meaning that he is Muslim before being a U.S. citizen.

Wednesday April 2, 2014, 7:25 pm
It's ironic then that Al-Queda/ISIS released a television/online video of an Al-Queda operative denouncing Christians, Jews, al-Assad, and several world leaders, including Barack Obama, as infidels.